Barbs attached to prosthetic devices including stents, vena cava filters, valves, and other intraluminal devices for treatment of aortic aneurisms and other related vascular diseases help to secure placement of the prosthesis after implantation and deployment in the treated vessel or other conduit. The barbs are positioned to engage and embed into the walls of the treated vessel for permanent attachment. Some barb designs present limitations to barb placement and the life of the barb depending on the design of the stent. High stress or stain near regions on a wire stent caused by limitations of the barb design and the method of attachment of the barb to the wire stent may result in fatigue and failure of the stent and barb fatigue or fracture.
There remains a continuing need for a barb design and method for attachment thereof that reduces barb failure after implantation of the device. A barb design that reduces the likelihood of failure eliminates the need for any additional surgical procedures if the device becomes displaced after barb failure and any patient discomfort and potential risks involved in additional procedures and device displacement. Accordingly, embodiments of a new barb design and methods of attachment to a prosthetic device that substantially reduce barb failure or fracture have been developed.